Two advocacy groups, the Democracy Defenders Fund and Reporters Without Borders, have officially requested that the U.S. Office of Special Counsel investigate potential Hatch Act violations by three high-ranking Trump administration officials. The complaint centers on the officials' participation in a campaign rally for Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) held earlier this month.

The Hatch Act generally prohibits federal employees from using their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect the results of an election, or from engaging in political activity while on duty or in a federal building. The complaint specifically targets FCC Chair Brendan Carr, as well as Doug Burgum and Howard Lutnick, for their brief remarks and appearances at the Alaska event.

While the complaint asserts that these appearances constitute an improper use of their positions for political campaigning, the officials named in the filing have not yet issued a formal public response to the allegations. The Office of Special Counsel is the independent federal agency tasked with investigating such claims; it has not yet indicated whether it will open a formal inquiry into the matter. The situation highlights ongoing tensions regarding the boundaries of political activity for federal appointees, particularly when they appear alongside candidates during active election cycles.